Effective March 23 until further notice: all Metro Bus riders must board through rear doors

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To help protect Metro bus operators and be as safe as possible during the COVID-19 crisis, all Metro Bus riders will be asked to board and exit only the rear door of all buses beginning Monday, March 23 until further notice. The front door will only be available to riders who use wheelchairs or who need the boarding ramp.

While you are not expected to use the fare box or TAP validator at the front of the bus, please have a loaded TAP card with you during travel.

We ask that all riders do their best to practice social distancing once aboard the bus — that is, spread out and try to stay at least six feet from other riders. With many people staying home from work, there is much more room on our buses for social distancing.

Metro is also requiring its bus operators to use the transparent protective barrier that helps isolate them.

If you are using the bike rack, please let the bus operator know before exiting the bus — to give you time to get your bike off the rack at the front of the bus.

We think rear door boarding is a wise precaution to make the Metro Bus system — the nation’s second-busiest and a vital lifeline for many — as safe as it can be. And we thank all riders for their patience as we implement rear-door boarding.

We are working with the Metro Board of Directors on next steps.

Categories: Policy & Funding

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46 replies ›

  1. Where can we find updates on service? I work in a hospital laboratory and couldn’t get to work this morning – no 76 West bus showed up.

    • Hi Jami;

      Very sorry to hear that! When you have time could you email me the details — location, time and how long you waited? My email is hymons@metro.net.

      The buses are running on a hybrid schedule because of the pandemic and some trips are being missed but we’re trying to space them in such a way that doesn’t cause customers to wait too much longer. Any info you can send would be helpful.

      Thanks much,

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

  2. The 258 South (~0610AM) is asking us to enter in the front and TAP.

  3. I was thinking that is free like the blue bus at Santa Monica we use the rear door and no paid at all is confused

    • Hi Monica;

      We’re asking everyone to be in possession of the proper fare. No need to walk to the farebox on Metro. Thanks!

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

  4. Even if u use the back door nd u sit down. Theres gonna be someone sitting in front or behind u nd that’s not 6ft apart

  5. They have a strict time schedule they have to follow. They can be written up for being as little as 4 minutes early or late. But their time schedules are calculated with congested traffic. So no drivers have to wait 10 minutes or intentionally go slow to be on time, just to not get written up.

  6. I have to use the bus AND THE METRO RAIL to get to work. If I am not required to pay the bus, am I still required to pay the metro rail?

    • Hi Joe,

      Fares at not waived at this time. Please have valid fare on you during travel.

      Thank you,

      Anna Chen
      Writer, The Source

      • Umm, please understand this statement is a conflict in itself. We are either required to pay fares or not. . . Plain and simple. There is literally no need for this “just have valid fare during travel” statements that are actually confusing to some people. Either require us to pay or get a free ride, simple as that. Why you guys insist on making things is. . . You know what, never mind.

        • Its not conflicting at all … Metro is basically trying to sugar coat still charging to ride the bus when every other bus service has stoped charging. You still have to pay to ride metro rail and as for the bus it depends on if the driver feels like charging you. Metro isn’t free unlike every other bus service in L.A

  7. Since many employers told employees to stay quarantined at home, and longer draw a weekly or biweekly paycheck, have bus fares been cancelled until quarantined workers return to work?

  8. Since this whole “enter through the back door” thing happened, the bus drivers have been driving waayyy too slow! There is not type of traffic at the moment, especially in the mornings, for them to be driving that slow! I don’t know if they’re doing it on purpose or???? I took the 704 the other day to work and it literally took 10 minutes to get to my stop when it usually takes 2 minutes to get there.

    • Liz since there is no traffic it more than likely your bus is running early. Less riders less traffic. So the drivers are slowing down not to run early.

      • Which is why I went back to driving and use Uber/Lyft when I can’t drive. The Buses should not be following a schedule AT ALL. Get on the bus, keep it moving, and get off. The longer we are in a closed space,the more we are at risk. Why Metro fails to acknowledge this is beyond me. They talk about “Buses should now reflect real time traffic” yet here we still have people complaining about how slow it is.

        Hopefully now that I’ve been transferred this may not be an issue like the Westside routes, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

        The only reason I won’t hop back on my bike is because it’s busted at the moment and even if I could fix it myself, anyone can steal it while at work.

  9. Bus driver is letting people use the front door. Why? 03/25/20 bus # 4083 Line 52

  11. I just had to enter the back door. I don’t see how this will help. All this does is force passengers to sit closer together. Going through the back door will not lessen the chances of anyone contracting the virus. This will only make it worse there’s people coughing all next to me. So unnecessary.

  12. two question, where I can get the new schedules for lines 240 and 150 ? and also can I carry exact change ? ( I am not using bus that often) , thank you

    • Hi Farhad;

      We’re not printing up new schedules at this time. Please look at the regular schedules for those lines and then allow yourself extra time. As for fare, just have enough money with you to cover whatever the regular fare would be. Board the rear door of the bus, find a seat appropriately distanced from others and no need to visit the farebox in front of the bus.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

  14. The fare is not free, if you wish to pay your fare you can, you’re not obligated to. But if you feel you want to pay you still can. Bus fare is not suspended.

    • Hi John and Anyone Else Reading This;

      Our messaging is this: Metro encourages social distancing. Please board the rear of the bus and while you are not expected to use the fare box or tap validator at the front of the bus, please have a loaded TAP card.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

  15. If one enters through the rear door and still walks to the front to pay what is the point?

    • There is no point. Metro should suspend fares starting today. 13 other transit systems are now free in the LA area, should I list them all?

  16. The Big Blue Bus has been doing this since last week and is not collecting fares

  18. Rode Line 260 yesterday 3/22 afternoon and the operator already asked us to board at rear door and did not require us to pay. This morning 3/23 rode Line 260 (bus run 1, bus number 8245), and the operator led me board in front door and expected me to pay, and I did.

    Multiple agencies (Foothill, Montebello, etc.) already clearly implemented rear door boarding + no fare required. Would Metro please clarify this as soon as possible?

  19. Got on the 130 bus today and seats were chained up. Had ppl standing together like sardines. How is this going to help stop the spread of COVID-19. If we could have sat down we could have avoided touching each other and the hand rails. Chains on the seats really?!

    • Hi Why;

      Were these the seats toward the front of the bus? Do you have a photo?

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

  20. I’m a bus operator and back door boarding will NOT make a difference, the bus is full of people each day. The virus WILL continue to spread.

      • To clarify, we are asking that all riders be in possession of the proper fare.

        Steve Hymon
        Editor, The Source

    • Just have the fare in your possession is all we ask.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

    • Anthony;

      Please have the proper fare in your possession.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

    • We are asking that all riders have proper fare in their possession.

      Steve Hymon
      Editor, The Source

    • They are just asking each rider to have a loaded tap card when boarding, you don’t need to “pay” just have a valid tap card with money in it.

  25. ? Board from the rear, then go to the front to swipe the TAP card? Or, is there a meter at the back?